Crossing foe cable railways



(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 1. J. P. ORR.

CROSSING FOR CABLE RAILWAYS.

No. 439,547. Patented 0011.28, 1890.

A TTOHNE YS WITNESSES No Modem 2 SheetsSheet 2.

J. P. ORR.

CROSSING FOR CABLE RAILWAYS.

No. 489,547. Patented Oot.28,1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES P. ORR, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CROSSING FOR CABLE RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,547, dated October 28, 1890.

Application filed December 18, 1889.

T0 aZl whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES P. ORR, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and I1nproved Crossing for Cable Railways, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved crossing specially designed for cable railways, and so arranged as to bring the crossing cables near each other, at the same time preventing the cables from coming in contact.

The invention consists of a frame carrying two sets of pulleys, of which one supports the main cable, While the crossing cable passes underneath the other set of pulleys.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be hereinafter fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partof this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan View of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line at x of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View on the line 1 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a plan viewof the crossing.- Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of the grip.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4:, the main track A is crossed at right angles by the track B, and the said main track is provided with the usual rails A and A while the other track B is provided with the two rails 13 and B The rails A and A are provided with the sections A and A' between the rails B and B and in a similar manner sections 13 and B are placed in the rails B and B between the rails A and A The several sections A A and 13 form the middle openings A and A, B and B for the passage of the cablegrips held on the cars passing over the said tracks A and B, respectively.

The openings B and B are in line and form part of the grip-slot A of the main track A, while the other openings A and A are in line and form part of that part B of the gripslot A which bends to one side at the crossing of the tracks A and B, as plainly illustrated in Fig. 4, which bent and slot part able bearings in the car-track.

Serial No. 334,180. (No model.

serves to swing the cable-grip of the track 13 to one side, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the track A is located the cable 0, and the track B is provided with the cable D, the former passing over the pulleys E and E and the cable D passing under the pulleys F and F, arranged atright angles to the pulleys E and E, respectively. The four pulleys E, E, F, and F are mounted to turn in a light frame G, supported by cable D and held in position by a lever II, extending in the direction of the cable D. \Vhen the frame G is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the car, with its grip passing over the main track A, is propelled by the cable C, which is lifted off the pulleys E and E when the car passes the crossing, and the frame G is held in position by lever II when cable 0 is lifted off pulleys E E.

\Vhen the side-track car, with its grip D passes onto the crossing on the track B, then the cable D is released from the grip-jaws and the grip swings to one side in passing through the bent part B of the slot B At the intersections of the two track-rails A and A with the crossing-track rails B and B are arranged short fails I I I 1 respectively, which stand in line with the main-track rails A and A when a car passes over the main track A 011 the crossing; but when a car is to pass over the track 13 then the position of the said railsections I, I, I and I is changed, so as to make the rails B and B continuous to prevent any jar of the car when passing over the crossing.

The device for changing the position of the short rail-sections I, I, I and I is as follows: The said sections are secured on disks I, each fastened at the upper end of a vertical shaft J J J J, respectively mounted to turn in suit- On the shaft J is secured a crank-arm K, pivotally connected by a link I with a crank-arm K on the shaft J which latter is located opposite the shaft J in line with the rail A. The shaft J is provided with a crank-arm 1 pivotally connected by a link K with a crank-arm K, scoured on the shaft J A crank-arm K standing in an opposite direction to the arm K, is secured on the shaft J and is pivotally connected by a link K with a crank-arm L, se-

cured on a longitudinally-extending shaft L, mounted to turn in suitable hearings in the track B and parallel with the rails thereof. On the shaft J 3 is secured a crank-arm K extending in an opposite direction from the crank-arm K, and pivotal] y connected by a link K with a crank-arm L on the shaft L, previously mentioned. IVhen the sha t L is turned, the crank-arms L and L by their connections with the shafts J and J give the same a quarter-turn, so that the said shafts by their connection with the shafts J and J turn the latter the same distance, whereby the rail-sections I, 1, I and I are given onequarter turn, so as to disconnect the rails A and A from the rail-sections A and A and connect the rails B and B with the rail-sections B and B A car now traveling on the track B passes over the continuous rails B and 13 thus avoiding all jar when passing over the crossing.

The device for turning the shaft L is arranged as follows: On the left-hand end of the shaft L is secured a crank-arm L pivotally connected by a link L with the free end of a lever N, pivoted at N near the middle of the track B, said lever N being provided with an offset part N extending in an inclined position over the cable D, to be engaged by a pulley D held on the free end of a spring D secured on the cable-grip D (see Fig. 5) of the car traveling on the track 13 in the direction of the arrow d. Then the pulley D on the cable-grip engages the under side of this lever N, it raises the same, thereby pulling on the crank-arm L so as to turn the shaft L, whereby the shafts J, J, J and J 3 are turned, as above described, and the positions of the rail-sections I, I, I and I are such as to make the rails B and B continuous.

In front of the lever N is arranged a similar lever 0, also adapted to be engaged by the pulley D -0n the cable-grip, so as to raise the said lever O. The latter supports at its free end a downwardly-extending rod 0, supportinga pulley 0 over which passes the cable D, so that when the lever O is raised by the grip of the car approaching the crossing said cable D is also raised tothe position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, whereby the said cable becomes disconnected from the grip and the latter swings sidewise, as previously stated, to remain disconnected from the cable until the crossing is passed. The moment the pulley D on the grip has left the end of the lever O the latter then drops toits original position, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the grip can pass over lever P to the left of the pulleys F and F and over the cable 0 Without touching the latter.

In order to hold the cable C down while the grip passes over it, as described, a flat 1ever P is pivoted next to the lever O and carries on its free end a pin, on which is mounted a pulley P, adapted to engage the top of the cable 0 when the lever P is swung downward by the grip passing over it and at the same time over cable 0. The lever P is held in an inclined normal position by a weighted arm P, as plainly shown in the drawings, and serving to return the lever to its normal position after the grip has passed off the pulley end of the said lever.

On the right-hand side of the crossing, n the track B, is arranged a lever Q, similar in construction to the levers N and 0, previously described, and pivotally connected by a link Q with an arm Q secured on a shaft Q mounted to turn in suitable bearings and extending transversely on the track B below the rails and under the cable D. The arinQ carries a pulley Q engaging the under side of the cable D. An arm Q carrying a weight" Q, is also secured on the shaft Q and serves to hold the pulley Q in place against the under side of the cable D. When the grip of the car on track B, after having passed the crossing, engages the lever Q, it raises the latter, and by the link Q swings the arm Q upward, so that the pulley Q on the said arm Q raises the cable D to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The upward swinging motion of the arm Q is assisted by the weighted arm Q which swings downward as soon as it has passed its perpendicular position. The grip in passing from the bent part B to the straight part of the slot B now swings inward and again grasps the cable D, which will carry it and the car forward in the usual manner. The grip then engages a lever R, similarly constructed to the levers N and 0, previously described, and pivotally connected by a link L with a crank-arm L secured on the shaft L. Then the latter is tnrned by a car approaching the crossing in the direction of the arrow at, then the said lever B is dropped into the position shown by dotted lines, and its weight on arm L prevents shaft L from turning, thus looking I, I, I and 1 The lever R is also connected with one end of a rope or chain R extending downward and passing under a pulley R and then extending toward the crossing and passing under a pulley R to which the end of the rope R is secured. The pulley R is IIO fastened on the shaft Q previously mentioned.

The operation is as follows: Vhen a car traveling on the track B approaches the crossing, the grip of the car acts on the lever N so as to turn the shaft L to change the position of the track-sections I, I, I and I to make the rails B and B continuous, as previously described. As the grip advances the lever O is raised and by its rod 0 and pulley O raises the cable D, which, on account of passing under the pulleys F, raises the latter, and also the frame G, supporting the other pulleys E and E, over which passes the cable (3, so that the latter is also raised; but the two cables are prevented from coming in contact with each other, as one passes under the pulleys F and F, respectively, and the other passes over the pulleys E and E, re

spectively, both sets having their centers in one horizontal plane. When the grip nears the end of the lever 0, it disengages the same by the grip swinging to the left on entering the curved part B of the slot B and thus permitting the cables C and D and their frame G to drop down to their former position. (Shown in Fig. 2.) The grip next comes in contact with the lever Q, so that the weight Q is thrown forward and downward, causing the raising of the cable D, 850., so as to allow the grip to swing in and grasp the cable D, which takes place when the grip leaves the curved part B and passes into the straight part of the slot B The grip next comes in contact with the lever B, so that the latter is raised, and by its rod L acting on the arm L turns the shaft L backward to its former position, whereby the several shafts J, J, J

and J 3 are turned in the opposite direction, so as to move the rail-sections I, I, I and 1 back into their normal position, whereby the rails A and A are made continuous. A car coming from the main track A finds the cables 0 and D in their proper position, and when a car on the cross-track B approaches the crossing the above-described operation is repeated, and thus the rail-sections I, I, I and I are changed to make the rails B and B continuous.

It is understood that when the lever N stands in its natural inclined position the lever B stands horizontally, and vice versa, so that the car running in the direction of the arrow a after crossing the track A finds the lever B in a lowermost inclined position, caused by the raising of the lever N. lVhen the lever B swings downward, the rope R is slack and permits the counterbalancing weighted arm Q to swing downward, whereby the pulley Q and cable D are raised, as before described.

When the shaft L has been turned by the lever B to shift the track-sections I I 1 &c., the shaft will be locked in position until again turned by the lever N, as illustrated in Fig.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent- 1. In a cable-railway crossing, the combination, with two cables crossing each other, of a frame adapted to be raised and lowered and two sets of pulleys arranged thereon, one set of pulleys supporting one of the said cables, while the other passes under the other set of pulleys, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a cable-railway crossing, the combination, with two cables crossing each other, of a frame and two sets of pulleys arranged thereon, one set of pulleys supporting one of the said cables, while the other cable passes under the other set of pulleys, and a lever held in line with one of the said cables to be engaged by the cable-grip and swung upward to raise the two cables and frame, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a cable-railway crossing, the combination, with two cables crossing each other, of a frame, two sets of pulleys arranged thereon, one set of pulleys supporting one of the said cables, while the other cable passes under the other set of pulleys, and a weighted lever adapted to be operated on by the cablegrip and adapted to engage with its free end the said supported cable on its top, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a cable-railway crossing, the combination, with two cables crossing each other, of a frame, two sets of pulleys arranged thereon, one set of pulleys supporting one of the said cables, while the other cable passes under the other set of pulleys, a weighted lever adapted to be operated on by the cablegrip, and a grooved pulley held on the free end of the said lever to engage the said supported cable, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a cable-railway crossing, the combination, with two cables crossing each other, of a frame and two sets of pulleys arranged thereon, one set of pulleys supporting one of the said cables, while the other cable passes under the other set of pulleys,a lever held in line with one of the said cables to be engaged by the cable-grip and swung upward to raise the two cables and frame, and a pulley supported on the said lever and engaging the respective cable, substantially as shown and de- 100 scribed.

JAS. P. ORR.

Witnesses:

N. STOKELY, ANTHONY FREYVOGEL. 

